Categories: Polls

On a scale of 1-5, how would you rate Barack Obama’s performance in his first year in office?

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by macleans.ca on Monday, January 25, 2010 4:03pm - 66 Comments

Tags: Obama, poll, state of the union address, U.S. politics

k im

I thought he has done very well considering the mess he inherited from junior and the clowns. The fact that he has accomplished so much when a good portion of the elected reps and those with a vested interest in bad government have gone out of their way to make his life difficult.

George

Here is a good article by Carolyn Baker that tells is as it is about Obama.

http://www.opednews.com/articles/1/YOUR-DISAPPOIN…
JimD

"he has accomplished so much"

Name me two things he has accomplished. Seriously. I will be completely shocked if you can, because I've been trying to find them myself and I can't.

Ron BC

The republican party, the unthinking religious bigots, the right wing talk shows and their ilk have poisoned the political landscape so much with their negative responces to EVERYTHING and ANYTHING the democrats or Obama proposes. They are now met with obstructionist retoric and, "If Obama loses we win," idiocy. Open your ears, eyes and minds people. Obama has proposed many reasoned and well thought out ideas, addressing a progressive future. The right wing and their ill informed followers have proposed, "No, No, Nothing." other than ,"Let's get back to the past," What an inane, idiotic, empty, go nowhere phylosophy. Ron BC.

Lawrence Godin

Hurray ! Finally someone has common sense accurate evaluation of the impossible mess that Bush left for Obama.
Most of the other comments are simply Right wing Republican wishful thinking.
They simply can't fathom the idea that there is someone willing to do something for the common good, like health care.
Larry.

Ron BC

Larry, It's good to know there are others who see the world, and the people in it, as they actually are warts, halos and all. Your statement about doing something for the common good brings out the very best in mankind. Most self interested republicans, I want mine now, and other egomaniacs just don't get it. In the end it doesn't matter what you got, it only matters what good you did in the world and how much you gave back. RonBC

JimD

Larry and Ron, read some real news on the policies, legislation, and Executive Orders Obama has actaully signed, and on the appointments he's made (Cass Sunstein, Robert Gates, Rahm Emanuel, etc.).

I am all for single-payer health care with no insurance company middle men (like most of the developed world already has) but this bears no resemblance to what Obama actually supports with his actions. Don't listent to what the man says, base your opinion on what he DOES.

SezMe

Considering the total collapse of the American (and thus the world) economy, that was imminent when he took office, there is ONLY one question that needs be answered about Obama's presidency:

"Does America still exist?"

If the answer to that is "Yes" then Obama has damn nearly walked on water……..

http://intensedebate.com/people/VinceP1974 VinceP1974

"Considering the total collapse of the American (and thus the world) economy, that was imminent when he took office, there is ONLY one question that needs be answered about Obama's presidency:"

What was mechanism of the collapse and how did Obama somehow stop this?

http://intensedebate.com/people/VinceP1974 VinceP1974

No choice for Negative 5,395,970?
Brian

Obama is a revolutionary Marxist trying to implement his socialist ideals on the people. He reminds me of Dalton McGuinty; he thinks government can run your life better than you. Dalton McGuinty’s socialist policies have made Ontario a have –not province. Obama’s policies will make the United States a have-not nation.

I can’t wait until he is out of office.
Maurice

He is the President of the US, not the Prime Minister of Canada. Why would Macleans even ask this question?
http://intensedebate.com/people/brian_h7694 Brian H

Maurice;
Because the fate of the US is your fate, too, like it or not.
Actually read some of the goals and plans of his mentors and heroes, not to mention our own ghoul, Maurice Strong, and you'll get the picture: collapse the industrialized economies to save the world for a bucolic future run by the Inner Greens. With about 1/10 the current population. Do you actually think you'd make the cut?
Karen

Obama is a great man, and I think that he has accomplished as much as anyone could do in a country that thinks so selfishly. Many of these selfish people have been arrogantly paying for what they think is 'medical insurance'. However, it's a well known fact all over the world that when most of these people have needed to use their 'insurance', they have been denied it for one reason or another.

JimD

I will ask you what I asked someone else earlier in the thread. Name two things he has accomplished. I don't mean "proposed" or "hoped for" or "planned", I mean an actual policy or piece of legislation that you woudl be happy to see passed if you were an anverage American.

Lawrence G.

From the comments we are now seeing,the Right wing and Republicans have become as fanatic as the Islamic extremists.
The distortion of facts, half truths, and outright lies are alarming.
Let us hope that they will come to their senses and become more productive.
Larry
colliesRus

These comments make it apparent that the Canadians are just as mean-spirited and ignorant as the
Americans. What would all you smarty-pants out there be doing if you were in charge? It's not a dictatorship.
Chris

So where does the US look for leadership in 2012? I know it's a long way off, but Obama will probably be the Dem nominee by acclamation, and the GOP is messed up more than ever.

I have to think that the Americans will be as disheartened as ever come next election, as millions of them truly believed that this was the man to bring about great change and hope (whatever that was supposed to mean), and if this charismatic speaker couldn't do it, surely no one can.
http://intensedebate.com/people/PhilCP PhilCP

Agreed. Even if Obama only maintains his current level of performance through to 2012 he is still likely to be the Dem nominee. On the GOP side it will be interesting / entertaining to see if Palin is still involved or long forgotten by that date.

Regarding the inexperienced and ideological phrase that tweaked my interest originally, I'd actually say that Obama was inexperienced but not as ideological as jarrid might be suggesting, whereas GWBush did have some experience but strongly relied on ideology to help him 'chart the course'.